Hello all! It's crunch time in the Premier League as we enter the home stretch with just seven, six and five games (depending on the team) left to go! Here, we're focusing on the action at Goodison Park as Everton take on relegation-placed Burnley. Both sides have had an upturn in form, so we could be in for an interesting clash on Merseyside. Especially as one team is determined to finish their lacklustre season on a high, and the other is fighting for survival.

Before we delve any further, let's have a look at the team news that is starting to filter through to us. Starting with the home side...

EVERTON XI: Howard; Baines, Jagielka, Stones, Coleman; Barry, McCarthy; Mirallas, Barkley, Lennon; Kone

EVERTON SUBS: Joel, McGeady, Lukaku, Naismith, Besic, Garbutt, Alcaraz

As expected, Romelu Lukaku has returned to the squad following a two-game absence with a hamstring injury, but Martinez has decided against shoving into the starting XI due to a lack of first-team action. Instead, the Belgian has to accept a place on the bench, with Arouna Kone taking his place up front.

Martinez has made just one change to the starting XI that secured a 1-1 draw with Swansea City last weekend - Kevin Mirallas has entered the fold, replacing Leon Osman, who has not been included at all in the squad today. Aside from that, Everton will line up with the same back four of Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka, John Stones and Seamus Coleman. Gareth Barry and James McCarthy keep their spots in midfield, while Aaron Lennon, Ross Barkley and Mirallas provide attacking support for Kone.

The only other thing of note with regards to Everton's matchday squad is that Aiden McGeady has been included on the bench after returning to training this week following a minor back injury. Now, on to the visiting side...

BURNLEY XI: Heaton; Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee; Boyd, Arfield, Jones, Barnes; Vokes; Ings

BURNLEY SUBS: Gilks, Wallace, Kightly, Taylor, Jutkiewicz, Ward, Keane

Sean Dyche has rarely adapted his starting side this season, and as expected, the same XI that will face Everton this afternoon is the same that suffered a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal last weekend. The only change is one that has occurred on the substitutes' bench as Ross Wallace has taken the place of Fredrik Ulvestad, who is not in the matchday squad.

Sam Vokes and Danny Ings have been handed the responsibility of finding goals, while George Boyd, Scott Arfield, David Jones and Ashley Barnes will line the midfield. In defence, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell and Ben Mee will protect goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

With regards to Everton, most football fans tipped the Merseyside outfit to be in and around the European spots this season following their fifth-place finish in Roberto Martinez's debut campaign in the 2013-14 campaign. Unfortunately for the Toffees, it hasn't turned out that way and even during one stage of the season, they were lingering around the relegation zone, which would have been disastrous had they failed to pick up points!

Some have suggested that Everton have been 'found out' this season and that their shock-factor from the previous campaign has diminished. That's a fair point, but you could also point to their lack of goals - they have netted 40 times so far this season, which is just twice more than that of relegation battlers Queens Park Rangers.

Before we continue, we've just had a quick snippet from Martinez via Everton's Twitter page, where he has confirmed that neither Leon Osman or Steven Pienaar were "100%" fit for today's encounter. Now, where was I...

Despite a struggling start, Everton are on the up as they have scored in each of their last four matches, and are unbeaten in as many, but they would have been disappointed to draw 1-1 with Swansea City last weekend, especially because Jonjo Shelvey netted from the penalty spot with around 20 minutes left to play.

Ahead of this afternoon's game, Martinez told reporters: "What I like about our group is that we've been through difficult periods and we have learned straight away and used it.

"Remember that we were on 28 points and had to win some games in the league. We went and won three straight games and we have drawn against Swansea. That's not easily done. That character, that focus and determination is what we will build on for the future."

In case you were wondering what the weather is like up in Merseyside, it's a glorious one, as we can see hear from a picture of Goodison posted to Everton's Instagram page.

As for Burnley, despite being second-from-bottom in the Premier League table, they have impressed many who wrote them off after they were promoted to the top flight last summer. They have the smallest budget, but they have played some attractive football and have tested Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur over the course of the campaign. However, it's all well and good being easy on the eye, but the performance has to result in points, and that's not always been the case with Burnley this season.

Since their 1-1 draw with Chelsea back in February, the Clarets have scored just once, which is a big problem heading into the last six games of the season. In addition to that, so far in the campaign, Burnley have scored more than once in a game just six times.

Despite their lacklustre form in front of goal, the former Championship side have been stubborn in defence as they have kept seven clean sheets so far, and with an Everton side struggling for goals, that could play into Burnley's hands this afternoon.

Ahead of the trip to Goodison, Dyche told the club's official website: "Our strong mentality has stayed firm all throughout the season and I'm really pleased with that. The will and desire to improve has been there all along and we've got some big results.

"Now we've got six big and important games for different many different reasons to make sense of it all and deliver performances. My belief is absolute in this team and what it can do this season. I feel it can be in the Premier League again."

Interestingly this week, Dyche drew upon the issue of diving after revealing that "one prominent manager" has urged him to "move with the times", but the Burnley boss hit back by telling reporters: "At this level we have been naive at times, in the right way. I think that's sad that players just can't go out and play and get decisions that they should get.

"One prominent manager I am not going to name said to me, 'You are being naive, you should get your players to move with the times'. It's not my belief. You should play the game properly.

"If someone touches you in the box and you go down, that's always been there - that's not cheating, that's just gamesmanship. That's part of the game. There is a difference. I'm on about absolute simulation where there is no contact and people go to the floor."

HEAD TO HEAD: When the two sides met earlier in the season at Turf Moor, Everton came out on top with a 3-1 victory. The only difference is, they had a fully-fit Lukaku and Samuel Eto'o, who scored two goals, but has since moved on to Sampdoria. It's been a relatively equal record between the two sides in the history books, as in their previous 77 meetings, Burnley have won 22, Everton have secured 31 victories and 24 meetings resulted in draws.

PREDICTION: For me, while Burnley do have the team spirit and belief to grab an away victory, and with the incentive of possibly moving out of the relegation zone this afternoon, they will be more than up for it, but I can't see past an Everton win. I know the Toffees have been a shadow of their past season's self, but given that they are unbeaten in their last four games, and have the home advantage, I can see this ending in a 2-1 win for the Merseyside outfit.

Right we have less than 10 minutes to go before kickoff. The teams are ready to emerge onto the field. Fingers crossed for an exciting battle!

KICKOFF! Burnley get us underway at Goodison, kicking from left to right...

An early set piece for Burnley, and it's aimed towards Duff, but it gets knocked away by Baines, who isn't too happy as he believed that he was being impeded.

Burnley give too much space to Barkley as he storms from the middle of the park and sets up a shot for himself, but it's a poor effort as he drags it wide and fails to trouble Heaton. With the space he had, Barkley should have done much better.

Barkley is involved again as he tries a shot from outside of the box, but it bounces off Arfield. At the other end seconds later, Trippier launches a cross into the box, looking for Vokes, but the striker's effort is slightly too hard and it flies over the crossbar.

Vokes accidentally elbows Jagielka in the face as both players jump for the ball. Quite rightly, referee Mike Jones doesn't brandish a card, but the defender is in need of treatment due to the blood pouring down his face. He's fit enough to return, though.

Neither side have particularly took a stronghold of the game, but Everton are having the majority of possession at the moment. One play gets broken up, though, as Jagielka launches a long ball looking to Lennon, but it bounces out for a Burnley throw.

PENALTY! Everton are awarded a penalty after Lennon's storming run into the box ends with Jones bringing him down from behind. The Burnley players are arguing that the challenge was made outside of the box, and looking at replays, first contact may have been made just outside of the line.

SAVE! Wow, a poor penalty from Barkley results in Heaton getting a hand to it. The miss makes it worse for the home side as before the spot-kick was taken, Barkley decided to stand over the ball instead of regular penalty-taker Baines. The crowd are not happy as boos ring around the stadium...

Well, that was dramatic to say the least! Burnley are struggling to string some decent plays together, while Everton have opted for the long ball numerous times. On this occasion, Barry searches for Mirallas, who would have be one on one with keeper, but he couldn't reach the ball.

SAVE! Heaton is involved again to deny Everton. The cross comes in from Coleman and the keeper misses it entirely and falls to the floor, but as the ball bounces towards Baines, the shot-stopper gets back to his feet and is able to block Baines's thunderous shot.

CHANCE! Boyd storms down the right-hand side and tries to whip a cross into the box, but Baines is there to clear. As the ball falls to Lennon, he's able to race down the other end with plenty of space and unleash a low shot at goal, but it drags just wide. It's a vibrant start from the Tottenham loanee.

Burnley are playing a risky game as they are committing plenty of men forward, but when Everton are on the attack, they drop back and give the home side plenty of space to roam. Fortunately for the Clarets, when the chances have come, Everton have been unable to take them. And let's not forget Barkley's saved penalty...

Coleman gets another decent cross into the box, searching for Kone, but Heaton makes the right decision this time to jump and grab the ball before the Everton forward can get a head on it.

BOOKING! Barnes, who has committed the most fouls in the Premier League this season, has received the first yellow card of the game after bringing down Mirallas from behind.

The visitors launch a free kick into the box by Trippier, but Jagielka is eventually able to deal with it. Everton go on the break yet again through Lennon, who passes to Kone, who in turn knocks it out wide to Coleman. But Barnes is able to get back to put in a fair crunching tackle to prevent Coleman from getting a cross in.

It's all Everton at the moment. They've had countless opportunities to get a strike on, but Burnley have done enough to prevent the goal from bulging. They get some respite with a free kick, which Heaton will take and launch up field.

Everton deservedly take the lead as Mirallas scores his 10th goal of the season. Coleman cuts inside the box and knocks it over to Kone, who takes a slight touch to play in Mirallas. The Belgian rolls over the ball and then stabs it into the goal and past Heaton.

MISS! Burnley could have equalised immediately afterwards following a lovely passage of play, which opened up Everton's defence. Jones finds himself in space in the penalty area and takes a shot at goal, but it soars just over the crossbar. What a great chance for the visitors!

At the other end, Everton get a corner and it's whipped in looking for the head of Jagielka. The cross manages to find the defender, but the England international can only head over the bar.

While Everton have dominated proceedings and have that crucial lead, Burnley have shown that when they get the chance, they can cause trouble. They only question is, how many opportunities will they be able to create as the game goes on?

Ings, who is having his longest drought of the season after not scoring in seven games, is on the ground and requires treatment after clashing with Jagielka. He's back on his feet, but he doesn't look very comfortable. Dyche will be hoping his star man can shake it off!

Again, Everton have plenty of space as Barkley storms towards goal, but some great defending by Duff stops the England international in his tracks. In all honesty, Barkley should have shown more strength to get past his man.

Barry senses the danger and gets a vital touch on the ball to deny Barnes from firing a shot at goal. The Everton midfielder gives away a corner, but it comes to nothing for the visitors.

Kone's movement is causing trouble for Shackell and Duff in this first half. While the forward hasn't had many chances of his own, his movement is proving to be a nuisance for the travelling side.

Burnley have been getting a bit more joy in attack in these last few minutes. Arfield shows quick feet on the edge of the area to keep the ball. Barnes eventually receives the ball on the right. He tries to hit it across goal, but he claims for a penalty after the ball hit Stones's hand as the defender went to ground to prevent the cross. It does stroke the arm, but he probably couldn't prevent it.

Ings is down again after getting whacked in the face with the ball, but the striker appears to be fine enough to continue. He's been in the wars a bit here!

The fourth official indicates two minutes of additional time for this first half. Can Burnley get an equaliser before the break? With Everton currently on the attack, it seems not...

SENT OFF! Dear oh dear, it's Ashley Barnes again. The Burnley man gets a second yellow card after bringing down Coleman with a diving challenge after missing the ball by a second. In all honesty, it's quite harsh for Barnes as it wasn't a particular dangerous challenge. That doesn't matter, though, as the Clarets now have a massive task to get something out of this game.

Well, the first half started dramatically and ended dramatically! Everton threw away the chance of taking an early lead when Barkley's penalty was saved by Heaton. The controversial point is the fact that regular penalty-taker Baines did not line over the ball, but perhaps Barkley was the designated taker? I'm sure we'll find out after the game!

Despite squandering the chance to go a goal up, the home side were eventually able to get on the scoresheet when Mirallas struck following a lovely move involving Coleman and Kone. You could sense that the goal was coming due to the Toffees' dominance on the ball. However, Roberto Martinez may be frustrated that his side couldn't add to their tally before the half-time whistle.

For Burnley, they have a mountain to climb in the second half after Barnes was sent off on the stroke of half time. At times during the opening 45 minutes, the Clarets showed glimpses of quality and they have made Everton's defence look vulnerable at times. They have a never-say-die attitude, but they will have to change their shape and tactics now that they will have to play the second half with 10 men. It couldn't be a worse scenario for the team, who could move out of the bottom three with a win. However, considering the fact that they now have one less man on the field and are already a goal down, Burnley will need a small miracle to claim all three points.

Elsewhere, struggling sides Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion are leading at half time, so Burnley know that they need to go for glory. We could be in for an exciting second half! Here are the half-time scores:

Crystal Palace 0-1 West Brom
Leicester 1-0 Swansea
Stoke 0-1 Southampton

RESTART! Everton get us underway for the second half at Goodison, kicking from left to right...

McCarthy manages to chase a ball that looked destined to go out behind the line. He knocks it back to Lennon, who in turn crosses into the box to find Baines. The crowd encourage the left-back to shoot and he does so, but it is blocked by the Burnley defence.

CHANCE! A great low cross from Baines finds Kone, whose first touch bounces off the post. Heaton looked shaky as the ball moved back into play, but the referee gives Burnley a chance to breathe by blowing the whistle for a foul.

It's frantic at the other end as Everton try to smother the play between Ings and Vokes. They eventually manage to clear and give away a corner, which bounces off Jagielka and into the arms of Howard.

BOOKINGS! Both Mirallas and Arfield get yellow carded by the referee for separate challenges. Mirallas is quite lucky not to see red after pulling his studs down the shin of Boyd.

CHANCE! Everton come close to doubling their lead after a pull-back from McCarthy finds Kone. On the swivel, the forward launches a shot, but it soars over the crossbar.

MISS! The home side are edging closer to a second. A great ball from Baines finds Lennon on the right side of the penalty area. He sends a low cross towards McCarthy, who goes to place it, but his effort flies just wide of the post.

At the other end, Burnley get a crucial set piece from the corner kick, but the ball easily falls into the hands of Howard. They should be doing much better from these positions.

BURNLEY SUB: The visitors make the first change of the game as Sam Vokes makes way for Lukas Jutkiewicz. Despite having just 10 men on the field, Dyche wants to keep two out-and-out strikers on the field.

Prior to the change, Ings tried to go it alone after cutting inside and launching a powerful shot at goal, but his attempt flew over the bar. It doesn't seem to be going Burnley's way this afternoon.

BOOKING! Shackell is the latest to go into the book after bringing down Barkley.

EVERTON SUB: It's Lukaku time! The Belgian striker is Everton's first change as he replaces yellow-carded Mirallas.

Everton get a free kick in a decent position after Jones needlessly fouled Barkley just a few yards from the penalty area. Baines didn't take the penalty, but he's going for the free kick. What can the England international do here...?

He hammers it into the wall! There were appeals for a hand ball, but the referee waves those claims away.

As expected, Everton are fully in control of the match, but Burnley's defence are doing well enough to restrict this game to just one goal so far.

SAVE! Heaton is required to punch away a thumping shot from Baines. It was a terrific strike from the left-back as he had time to set up the attempt from the edge of the area.

Everton are knocking the ball comfortably around the penalty area. Barry gets the ball and tries to find Kone over the top, but he fails to find his man and Heaton can gather.

Trippier tries to force through a chance by sending the long ball forward, but it bounces in front of Howard and the Everton goalkeeper grabs the ball with ease.

CHANCE! Baines is involved again, but the ball eventually falls to Lennon just inside the area. He goes for goal, but it's fairly routine save for Heaton as he dives to his left to snatch the ball.

We have a break in play here as Jagielka and Baines receive treatment. The Everton teammates collided when defending a cross, and it appears that Jagielka accidentally elbowed Baines in the process, but both seem fine to continue.

CHANCE! Everton are on the attack again and as they try to kill off the game, Coleman tries to catch Heaton out at his near-post, but the Everton star's swerving effort ends up missing the target.

A perfect ball over the top finds Lukaku, but his first touch lets him down as the ball moves away from him. This gives Heaton time to come off his line and gather the ball before the striker gets a chance to unleash a shot.

Burnley players are unhappy as the referee awards a free kick to Everton on the edge of the area. It is quite harsh for the visitors as Baines goes to ground after basically running into Duff. In fairness to the Everton players, nobody appealed for a free kick.

SAVE! Baines takes the free kick and finds the feet of Barry, who has plenty of space. The midfielder wraps the ball around his foot and goes for goal, but Heaton's reaction is quick and he manages to save.

Anfield gets some space in the middle of the park and sends it left to Mee, but he opts to send it back. Shackell then launches the ball up field, but Kone is able to get a head to it first and Everton regain possession.

EVERTON SUB: That's the end of Kone's afternoon as he makes way for Naismith for the final 10 minutes of the game.

Mee spots the run of Ings and launches the ball up towards him, but Howard reads it well and is able to get his hands on it first. The flow of the game seems to have ebbed away as the half has gone on. Everton are completely dominating, but they have just a one-goal lead, so you never know...

BURNLEY SUBS: The visitors make a double change as Wallace comes on for Boyd and Jones is replaced by Taylor.

CHANCE! Oh dear, what that the moment for Burnley?! Ings is basically given a free header in the box after the ball comes into his path, but the striker, who is struggling for goals of late, misses the target. He should have done much better.

Anxious moments for Everton as Burnley look to put on a late surge for an equaliser, but the Clarets' momentum is cut short when Taylor swings the ball towards goal, but misses the target and it bounces into the side netting.

EVERTON SUB: McCarthy, who has struggled with injuries this season, hobbles off the field and is replaced with Besic.

Can Burnley snatch a late equaliser? They're throwing everything at it, but it's not going their way at the moment.

Perhaps Everton can find the killer goal? Some intricate link-up play between Lukaku and Naismith results in a corner for the home side, but it comes to nothing.

SAVE! We're entering the first minute of four added minutes, and Heaton makes another stop as Barkley finds space to get the shot on. However, he drives it at the goalkeeper and the chance goes begging.

It looks as though Burnley are going to leave Merseyside with nothing and it appears that Dyche is not very happy with some of the refereeing decisions. I'm sure we'll hear more about that after the final whistle.

There we have it. Everton have taken all three points from this game as they stretch their unbeaten run in the Premier League to five games courtesy of a first-half goal from Kevin Mirallas. There was no shortage of drama as Ross Barkley missed a penalty and David Jones had a glorious opportunity to equalise before Ashley Barnes was shown red for a second bookable offence. For Burnley, they have failed to grasp the opportunity of moving out of the relegation zone and they now drop to the bottom of the standings.

That's all from this afternoon, but make sure you stick with Sports Mole for all of the reaction, analysis and player ratings. Until next time, goodbye!